The Colorado Trail (CT) and Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDNST), are cornerstones of the state’s outdoor recreation network, attracting visitors from across the world while providing significant health, wellness, and economic benefits to surrounding communities. The nearby community of Twin Lakes relies heavily on this visitation to sustain local businesses, including lodging, resupply stores, and restaurants. In turn, trail users depend on Twin Lakes for essential services that support safe and successful recreation experiences.

Currently, there is no safe, direct connection between the CT/CDNT and Twin Lakes. Users must travel along Colorado Highway 82, a narrow, high-speed corridor that presents a significant safety hazard. This creates an unacceptable tradeoff: recreation users are either exposed to dangerous conditions, or they bypass Twin Lakes entirely, resulting in lost economic activity for the community.

In response to this gap, recreation users have created informal social trails. These rogue routes contribute to severe degradation and damage to the environment, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable, designated solution.

The Twin Lakes Connector Trail will address these challenges through the construction of approximately 1.19 miles of non-motorized singletrack. The trail will connect the CT/CDNST at the existing underpass beneath Highway 82 and extend southwest, paralleling the highway, to an existing Forest Service system trail (Moache Trail). Approximately 1,000 feet of the route will be carefully constructed to avoid sensitive wetland areas and minimize environmental impact.

This project will deliver multiple, interconnected benefits. It will significantly improve user safety by removing recreationists from Highway 82 and reducing exposure to vehicle traffic. It will protect natural resources, with informal routes closed and rehabilitated. It will also enhance the recreation experience by creating a clear and enjoyable connection between the CT/CDNST and Twin Lakes. Importantly, the project will strengthen the local economy by increasing visitation to Twin Lakes businesses.

The project will be implemented through a collaborative partnership between the United States Forest Service and local organizations, including Friends of Twin Lakes and Friends of Lake County. Construction will take place during the snow-free season and will utilize a combination of professional trail crews, volunteers, hand tools, and mechanized equipment such as a mini-excavator to ensure efficiency while maintaining best practices in sustainable trail building.

The proposed alignment has been carefully planned to avoid sensitive natural resources, including wetlands, and to fully avoid identified historic properties. This thoughtful design reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship, local culture, and long-term sustainability.